Reading 1: Genesis 22-23

22v.2 - Moriah = "chosen by Jehovah". It is also the site of Solomon's temple 2Chron.3:1. This, we are told, here in Chronicles, was the site of the threshingfloor that David bought 2Sam 24:18-25. David was commanded by God 1Chron.21:18 (Araunah and Ornan are the same person) to buy back the land - the very place where Abraham sacrificed Isaac and make it a place of sacrifice again - and soon the site of the temple - where God chose to place his name - hence Moriah. We are this temple 1Cor.3:17

ch 22 - When Abraham took Isaac to Mount Moriah to offer him as a burnt sacrifice do we think that Abraham had any thoughts about Melchisedec whom he had met in that area [Genesis 14] some years earlier?

23:4 - In describing himself as 'a stranger and a sojourner' Abraham demonstrated that he expected the promises to be fulfilled at a later date - by implication when he is raised from the dead.

This sets the pattern for our life. We should live in this world as 'strangers and pilgrims' 1 Peter 2:11 and as such should not follow the behaviour of those amongst whom we live.

There are some amazing parallels in the story of the offering of Isaac by Abraham that match up with the sacrifice of Christ.
Abraham was told, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering." We read in John 3 v 16 that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son." Jesus was the Son God loved who was sacrificed for our sins.
The burnt offering was the only offering that was totally sacrificed to God, totally consumed. Jesus gave up every part of his life completely to God - just like a burnt offering.
Isaac was sacrificed in the region of Moriah. This is where the temple was eventually built and where Christ was crucified. It became part of the city of Jerusalem.
Abraham said, "God himself will provide a lamb for the burnt offering." God provided Jesus, "The lamb who takes away the sins of the world." (John 1 v 29).
Isaac was as good as dead as Abraham raised his knife to slay him, but he was given back to Abraham alive. Christ died and was raised back to life again.
We read that "Abraham returned to his servants," (Verse 19) but Isaac is missing from the record. So, after his resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven. His next appearance will be at the wedding feast in the kingdom. So with Isaac. His next mention is concerning his marriage to Rebekah, the bride selected by God.
There are many more parallels in this story for us to find. Try it. It makes you think, doesn't it?

Genesis 22 - How old was Isaac in this record? Most certainly it appears he was now a grown young man, not the little boy of some of the more fanciful tellers of the story for little children. Josephus claims that Isaac was around 25 years of age, which means that this incident took place when Abraham was 125 years old, and Sarah 115 years old. However, it is not impossible that Isaac may have been approaching 40 years of age, which would put his age close to the age of our Lord when He too was sacrificed and raised from the dead. In ancient Hebrew terms, a man was "young" until he reached the age of 40. Abraham would then have been 140, and Sarah dead for three years. No mention is made in Genesis 22 of Sarah, and what follows in Genesis 23 need not necessarily be in chronological order. If this latter proposition be correct, how much greater does Abraham's faith here appear? If Sarah is now dead, and Abraham knowing that the promise referred only to that seed produced between himself and Sarah... what must his thoughts have been as he contemplated sacrificing his only begotten son?

Genesis 22:3 - "And Abraham rose up early in the morning" - Six times in Jeremiah the prophet we are told that one of the great characteristics of our God, is that He "rises up early" to speak to His servants the prophets. It is also a characteristic of Godly men in the record that they too, rise up early in the morning to face often unpleasant tasks. Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Job and Jesus are all noted as sharing this uncommon trait. Who among us, had we been in Abraham's shoes, would not have wanted to sleep in on this morning, then linger over breakfast, and then procrastinate until the day was far spent, so that we could put of until tomorrow what ought to have been done today? There is a saying of the world - "Do it! Do it right! Do it right now!" Success among the children of men is often attributed to this very philosophy. How much more should the Sons of God be moved to attend with alacrity in things eternal?

Genesis 22:2-4 - Seven great acts of faith are recorded of Abraham here in this part of the record. Count them up... each one starts with "and."

Genesis 22:20-24 - The Divine record prepares us for the marriage of Isaac to Rebekah, by revealing the genealogy of Abraham's family who had chosen to stay in Haran. Abraham's attitude toward his family who were afar off is very instructive for ourselves in these days. It is too easy to cut our families off if they do not totally share our faith in God. After Isaac's release from off the alter, we hear no more of him until a bride is sought for him from among his own people, from among those who were closest to sharing his own faith.

Genesis 23:2 - It is worthy of remark, that Sarah is the only woman whose age, death, and burial are distinctly noted in the Sacred writings. What is meant in this verse that "Abraham came to mourn for Sarah?" Can this imply that Sarah died whilst Abraham was away from the compound, perhaps tending his flocks in another area?

Gen 22 - We see in the way that God tried Abram that Abram was being tested that he might appreciate the strength of his faith. The trial was not for God’s benefit. He knew what Abram would do. Abram need to learn about himself. The same is true of ourselves. Our trials are for our benefit that we might learn about ourselves.

23:2 In saying that Abram ‘came to mourn for Sarah’ we might conclude that Abraham was not present at the time and place of her death.

Gen 22:2 To the best of my knowledge, no other man has ever been asked of God to offer his son as a sacrifice.

Gen 22:5 Bro. Cliff (above) asks. "How old was Isaac" we have heard it suggested that he was 33. (same as Christ) The Hebrew word translated "lad" is NAAR (5288). In Gen 41:12 it is translated a "youngman", we see in Gen 41:46 that Joseph was was thirty years old at the time. We do not know Isaac's age, but it is possible he was 33.

Gen 22:2,13 Abraham was told to offer Isaac as a burnt offering, and the ram that was caught in the thicket was offered as a burnt offering. The sin offering followed the burnt offering. Even though Isaac was a type of Christ, he could not have replaced Him.

22:2 The pattern of animal sacrifice had been firmly established pre-Mosaic Law. It had first been performed as a covering for Adam and Eve (Gen 3:21) and then through the acceptable sacrifice of Abel (Gen 4:4). The Sons of God (Seed of the Woman) subsequently would have continued the practice. Would they not have understood that sacrifice represented the coming messiah of promise (Gen 3:15) in the light of that which is expressed in Heb 9:22?

Gen 22:14 The authorised version Bible says: "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh: as it is said to this day,In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen"
The Hebrew Bible says: And I will call Abraham name the place he the Yahweh Yeereh that
he will say the day in mountain Yahweh will be seen. Hebrew is an economical language, there are no punctuation, and Capitals and small letters are never in the same sentence (it is one or the other). also there are no vowels used, one must learn how to say a word from a teacher or some one that knows Hebrew. Also there is no 'j' in Hebrew instead the letter 'y' is used.

22:8 - How much truth there is in this statement that Abraham makes 'God will provide himself a lamb'. Abraham had first hand experience of God's miraculous provision in Isaac himself, but as well as this, he recognised that one day there would be a greater son - the lamb of God - who would take away the sins of the world.

22:2 - Moriah is where Solomon's temple was built and we read here of a sacrificial offering. Mention of your only son whom you love. Adam was a son just as Ishmael was a son but Christ and Isaac were manifestations of freedom not slavery. 22:3 - we have mention of a donkey leading the way to the sacrificial journey. Mention of servants with Isaac just as Jesus had others with him. 22:4 - reference to the third day. Jesus' servants abandoned him so at the end he was alone with his father for the final journey. 22:6 - wood placed on Isaac and Christ. 22:8 - the lamb. 22:12 - neither son saw corruption. 22:13 - a ram in a "thicket" Heb. "sebak" (5442) is similar to the Matt 27:46 "sabachthani" Jesus actually said which means why hast thou "entangled me" as opposed to the passage referring to Christ's crucifixion beginning with the Psa 22:1 quote using the word "forsaken" Heb. "azab" (5800) means "relinquish, permit, commit self, forsake, leave", etc. derived from the Septuagint. Thus Jesus was pointing to the two prophesies at once and was preaching/clarifying till the end. Jesus knew why he was being sacrificed, it wasn't a question for him to ponder. Rather, it was a question raised for others to read scripture and consider the ramifications of. Gen 23:9 - we find the full price was paid for a burial cave just as Christ (and his Father) paid the full price.

23:4 Abraham had been promised the land – Gen 17:8 – yet he describes himself as a ‘stranger and sojourner. An indication that he saw the promise of the inheritance of the land as a future thing and this informed the way he viewed present possession. How do we view the things of this life?

Abraham was tested. God asked him to take his only son Isaac and to sacrifice him. Abraham did as he was told but at the crucial moment was stopped by the angel who explained to Abraham what the test was all about.

In the past I have always looked at Abraham's actions during his test. He obediently followed all the instructions he was given in a supreme display of faith, perhaps far more than we might ever dream of achieving. But there is a subtle theme that comes through the text to tell us how Abraham completed his task. Along with the theme of testing there is the refrain, "God will provide." When Isaac was asked where the lamb for the burnt offering was, Abraham's reply was, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." (Gen 22:8) And then after the sacrifice had been made, "Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide." Then we read, "And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.'" (v.14)

The key to having faith in God is knowing that he will provide. When we get tested in various ways - through lack of finances, in grief, in sickness or with other loss - knowing that God will provide will help get us through. He has never left me without anything I have needed and I am sure he never will. Let's trust in God's provision and, like Abraham, develop a great faith in the LORD who provides.

Gen 22:6,8 Notice the twofold us of ‘both of them together’ so we are left in no doubt that Isaac was willing. But more than that they were in fellowship – agreement – on this matter. Whilst Isaac did not know what was to happen Abraham did and he associated himself with the offering of Isaac., though one is left wondering how Abraham slept on the three day journey knowing what God had called him to do.

22:3 Abraham may actually have set off ‘early in the morning’ when he had been called to offer Isaac. However rather we are being shown an attitude of mind. A mind which puts the things of God before anything else even when the thing required is unpleasant. Likewise we will show that spirit if we are enthusiastic about being involved in ecclesial activities. Rather than waiting to see if anyone else volunteers to do that unpleasant job we would be quick to offer ourselves.

22:2the land of Moriah refers to the mountains of Jerusalem (Moriah means seen of Jah. The specific mountain where Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac is not stated. The distance from Beersheba to Jerusalem is about 42 miles (68 km.). That translated into a three-day journey for Abraham and his party (22:4).

23:1 Sarah was 127 years old when she died. Before the flood, people lived for great ages, some approaching 1000 years. Yahweh was angry with the sinfulness of people, and determined to reduce the human age for life to 120 years (6:3). Sarah's age reminds us of this.

23:2 Kirjatharba (Kiryat-arba) means either the town of Arba or the town of four. It was founded by one of the giants (Anakim) (Josh 14:15; 15:13). The town could have been named after a giant named Arba, or after him and his three sons Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai (see Num 13:22).

23:15-16 Whilst Abraham paid 400 shekels of silver for a piece of land to bury Sarah David paid Araunah 50 shekels of silver for the threshingfloor and the animals – 2Sam 24:24. We can conclude that the price that Abraham paid was way above the market value of the piece of land he bought. But he did not complain. This is the attitude of a sojourner in a foreign land. He accepts the customs of the land if they do not violate the principles of his beliefs.

22:4 We know that Jesus rose on the third day ‘according to the Scriptures’ 1Cor 15:3-4. Have you considered what Scriptures Paul had in mind? Maybe this is one of them. At the end of a three day journey Isaac is sacrificed and raised from the dead ‘in a figure’.

“And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.”

The verb here in the Hebrew actually states, “we will return to you.” By faith, Abraham knew that God would raise Isaac, his son of promise, from the dead, and they would both return (Heb 11:17-19). This event prefigured the Father who would actually offer His Son of promise, Jesus the Messiah, as a sacrifice for us by his death on a wooden stake. Isaac foreshadowed Jesus, in that he willingly and responsibly submitted to being sacrificed. Isaac could have fought it tooth and claw like I expect most would have done. It is not hard to imagine, though, how difficult the situation must have been for both of them (as it was for Messiah, who sweat as it were drops of blood - Luke 22:44), but by their total acceptance and submission to obey God, God blessed Abraham and promised him many offspring and that through him and Isaac the promised Messiah would descend (Gen 21:12; Gen 22:17-18; Matt 1).

This chapter is a beautiful chapter of faith, love and obedience, not just on the part of Abraham, but also of Isaac. Sadly, some wrest this passage, and by means of analogy teach that infant to adolescent salvation is taught here in the family of believers! Without doubt, so much anguish and pain is appeased by such a thought when one loses a child, but if we are to be the children of Abraham and of his seed, Isaac (Rom 9:6-9), then we must uphold the Divine standards of redemption. God selects whomsoever He wills, we must accept that, and it is a very grave matter to wrest His teaching on this, or even go so far as to condemn Him for it. It is a false teaching, which we must not embrace. Isaac was special only in the sense that he was the son of promise, which none of us can claim.

“Lad” is the Hebrew word, nazar, # <5288>, and has a range, “from the age of infancy to adolescence… lad, servant young (man).” From the narrative it is easy to deduce that Isaac was, indeed, a young man at this particular time. He and his father, Abraham walked for three days to a mountain in the land of Moriah; Isaac’s knowledge and enquiry about a lamb for a burnt offering, and his willing submission to what he knew was about to transpire, are all indicative of this. This mountain received the name of Mount Moriah, on which later King Solomon built the Temple of Jerusalem (2Chron 3:1).

Brother John Thomas taught correctly that Scripture is about God-manifestation, not human salvation. I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of manifesting God in our lives, IF we are to obtain salvation, and not engage in fuzzy syncretism.

22:17 The promise that Abraham’s seed would be as great as the stars was made after Abraham had demonstrated his willingness to offer Isaac. Thus built into the Genesis narrative is the route through which the multitudinous seed would come – the resurrection of the one typified by Isaac.

A sister writes: “…I would be very grateful if you could clarify and expand a bit more on the following, if/when you have time? ‘Brother John Thomas taught correctly that Scripture is about God-manifestation, not human salvation. I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of manifesting God in our lives, IF we are to obtain salvation, and not engage in fuzzy syncretism…’”

From these passages, it is easy to discern that the LORD’s purpose for us is through Christ (2Tim 1:9). We have been called to the Truth not for our sake, but for His sake that the LORD may be glorified in us through His Son. It is not about us; it is about Him, and our manifestation of Him by the power of His word. Jesus tells us, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.”

Our identification with Christ is expressed in the preposition “with,” which we read throughout the New Testament: “dead” with Christ; “buried” with Christ; “made alive” with Christ; “risen” with Christ; “hidden” with Christ; “appear” with Christ (see Rom 6:1-11; Col 3:1-4; 1John 2:28). The Bible teaches salvation is not possible in any other way. God-manifestation MUST precede IF we are to be granted eternal life.

23:10-11 The casual use of ‘the gate of the city’ actually conveys that the gate was a significant place for the giving of judgements. Lot ‘sat in the gate’ Gen 19:1 and was accused of making himself a ‘judge’ Gen 19:9 Later – Ruth 4:11 – matters to do with land and inheritance were concluded in the gate.

1. v. 12. Here the angel tells Abraham, "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." Was there something in Abraham's life just before this test that cast doubt on whether Abraham really did fear God?

2. v. 17. What is the significance of this unique part of God's covenant - "Your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies" - in relation to Jesus Christ?

1. One possibility is that the angel could have been alluding to the incident in ch. 20 where Abraham for the second time said that Sarah was his sister, because he was afraid of what might happen to him. Of course, it is also possible that the angel simply meant - "You (Abraham) passed the test! I wasn't sure whether or not you would, but you did!" This concept that the angels, though immortal and very powerful, have incomplete knowledge of future events is seen in a number of places in Scripture. Here are a couple of examples -

Mark 13:32 - (Jesus speaking) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even theangels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

1 Pet. 1:12 - "It was revealed to them (the prophets) that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things."

2. In Biblical times cities were surrounded by walls with, of course, a gate to enter. Whoever conquered a city would have control over the gate and would therefore have the authority to let in or keep out whomever he wanted. Jesus, the seed of Abraham (Gal 3:16), through his death and resurrection gained the authority to possess the gate of his enemies - hell and death (Rev 1:18). Therefore he and he alone can say who will stay in the grave for eternity or who will come forth to eternal life (John 5:22, John 5:28,29; Acts 17:31). Also, in the process of establishing the kingdom, Jesus will rule in the midst of his enemies (Psa 110:2). The seat of judgment also was in the city gate (see Gen 19:1,9{Lot was judging there}; Ruth 4:1 {where the transaction between Boaz, Ruth, and the near kinsman took place}). So another aspect of this is likely that of Jesus being the great Judge, the dispenser of life or death.

Gen 22:2 The Lord chose a mountain in Moriah for Abraham to offer Isaac his “only son” (Heb 11:17). Abraham called the place where Isaac was to be offered Jeho-vah-jireh which means “in the mount of the Lord shall it be seen.” (Gen 22:14) or margin “The Lord will see or provide”. When Abraham’s faith had been tested, with the sacrifice of Isaac. The Lord stayed his hand and prevented the sacrifice of Isaac and the Lord provided him with a ram (Gen 22:12-13). This is the same spot on which the Lord was to stay the hand of the destroying angel from brining judgements on Jerusalem. This same spot was known as the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite where the Lord commanded David to build an altar to the Lord (1Chron 21:15-18).

The threshing floor of Ornan, also known as mount Moriah was the same place where Solomon was to build the house of the Lord (2Chron 3:1).

It is also the area where our Lord was crucified. God provided the greatest expression possible of his love for His people, in giving His only son as a sacrifice for sin (John 3:16). So, as we read through Genesis 22 we should be looking for links with the sacrifice that God was to provide, around 2,000 years later, in providing His only begotten son to die for the sins of the world. How marvellous and merciful are the ways of the Lord.

Gen 22:2 Why did God ask Abraham to go to a specific place to carry out this sacrifice? Could Abraham not have demonstrated his faith in God anywhere? Notice in the wording of the verses; God will show him a specific mountain in the place called Moriah. So he takes a journey to Moriah, but while he is still a long way away, he leaves his servants behind (v4-5). Again, why? We assume it was because he needed to be alone with his son, which I'm sure is part of the answer, but could it also be that he didn't want to reveal the place that God was to show him? Again, in v9 the wording specifically emphasises the place:

"And they came to the place which God had told him of"

Abraham recognises the special significance of the place God has shown him, because after he has demonstrated his faith, and God provides a sacrifice of a ram instead of Isaac; he calls the place:

He now returns to his men, and returns home. No-one is any the wiser about what occurred, and no-one knows about the place except Abraham and Isaac.

Come with me forward in time several hundreds of years. Fourteen generations have passed, and all knowledge of the place has been forgotten. The story of Abraham and Isaac has been written down in scripture for any Israelite to read, and the story is handed down from generation to generation, but the location of the place is never revealed. But now we come to David, and a time in his life where his sin has caused great wrath from God upon his people Israel. The angel of death has been sent out and is ravaging the land with plague. David wants desperately to plead with God and offer sacrifices at the tabernacle, but is too afraid of the angel (v29-30). With nothing else to do, and in desperation, David throws himself down before God and pleads that there may be some other way to atone for his sin. God answers him with the name of a place...

"Then the angel of the Lord commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite." 1 Chron 21:18

Why should there be an altar there, in that place? Perhaps there is something special about the place...

David knew. God answered his prayer from heaven (v26) and sanctified the altar. David remembered the story of Moriah, and the place revealed to Abraham but now lost in the mists of time. He remembered a specific detail from Genesis 22:9

"And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there"

Then David said,

"This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel. And David commanded... to build the house of God." 1 Chron 22:1

22:9 We might think the laying of the wood in order was just a practical matter. However this phrase only occurs on two other occasions in Scripture – Leviticus 1:7 and 1Kin 8:33 demonstrating the sacrificial element of what Abraham was doing.

In this sacrifice as all sacrifices we see the need for blood to be spilt. Lev 17:11

Whatever Abraham thought would happen to Isaac he was prepared to shed blood, but it wasnt only the physical shedding of blood, it was also the spiritual blood shedding that Abraham was prepared to do as we should and as Christ did.

Blood shedding for us is in service to God and blood shedding isnt a natural thing to do it only comes through and act of violence. Our service and walk to the kingdom then wont be easy it will be hard so much so it will be like pouring out our blood in sacrifice. Christ sweat blood as his mind fought against the flesh in the garden so must we!

22:14 The only other occasion when we read of “the mount of the Lord” is in Num 10:33. Of course the two locations are not the same. This one is Moriah in Jerusalem. The other is Mount Sinai. The point being made is that both places are the Lord’s mountain because the events there figure significantly in the redemptive plan of God.

27v.11 - a plain path is a path on the plain - in the most desirable areas - the word (miyshowr - 04334) is used elsewhere mainly in this context, but is also translated 'righteous' and 'upright', so we have a vision of the kingdom here for the person to whom God teach his ways.

Psa 26 - This is a very challenging Psalm. How many of us are able to speak like this to our God?

27:4 David's desire to dwell in the house of the Lord was partially fulfilled when he 2 Samuel 7:18 'sat before the Lord'. David had his heart's desire granted because he was a man after God's own heart.

28:3 The duplicity exhibited by the wicked is the same as having 'divers weights' [Deuteronomy 25:13] which is something the Lord hates Proverbs 20:10, 23. Of course one does not have to be a shop keeper to have divers weights. We all have divers weights when we say one thing and do another.

Psalm 26:10 - "In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes" - Margin: "filled with." The word here rendered "bribes" means properly "a gift," or "present;" and then, a gift offered to a judge to procure an unjust sentence. The general meaning is that the Psalmist did not desire to be identified either with men who openly committed crime, or with those who could be corrupted in the administration of justice. How different is the picture in this Psalm to the picture painted in Psalm 24:4, where the one who dwells in the Holy Hill of Zion has "clean hands and a pure heart." When our lives are consumed with the pursuit of politics, either in the workplace, or our place of worship, then it is impossible to treat people equally, and with the magnanimity that our live in Christ prescribes.

Psalm 26:12 - "My foot standeth in an even place" - The word rendered "even place" - means properly "righteousness," or "justice;" then, "evenness, a level region, a plain:" The idea is, that David was standing now on smooth and level ground; that is, he had found now a level road where he might walk securely. His life was like a journey over a rough and dangerous road - a road of hills and valleys - of rocks and ravines. Walking with God he has found a smooth and safe path. The way was level. He felt secure; and he walked calmly and safely along, as a traveller does who has past over dangerous passes and who finds himself at last on level ground. This theme occurs over and over throughout the Psalms.

Psalm 27:12 - "...for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty" - To "breathe out injustice" would imply that those who do so are full of such malignity, as Saul of Tarsus was before his conversion - Acts 9:1. Those who "breathe out injustice" wish to be in control of others, for they are not in control of themselves. Our Lord was in total control of Himself, and He only ever breathed out the Spirit of "wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD"- Isaiah 11:2. What spirit do we breathe out? Are we in control of ourselves? Or do we seek to control others by issuing and supporting edicts designed to this end:- that by controlling others, rather than ourselves, we retain the power?

26:12 So David sees that the ecclesia is the place to be when there are problems
for that is what the ‘congregation’ is.

27:2 David speaks in the past tense of his enemies. They ‘came’ – so David now speaks to his God after his deliverance. How often do we thin to thank and praise God when He had delivered us from a problem we have had?

Psa 28- in this Psalm David highlights his complete dependence upon his God. Whilst he does not want to go the way of sinners bur realises that unless God hears his prayers and responds to them he will fall. How often do we feel that we are in control of our own destiny? If we do think like that we forget our dependence upon our Father.

Psa 27:5For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: The word pavilion in Hebrew is succah which means booth. This passage echoes Succot, the feast of booths (Lev 23:39-43). This feast was established by the Lord as a remembrance of the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt. In deliverance, the Lord's hid (sheltered) them from harm.

Psa 27:1 gives an almost all-round picture of God filling David's life. God is his light - giving him the ability to see where he is going; God is his salvation - providing his certain hope for the future; and God is his strength, or his fortress - his safety and protection. We don't need anything else, if we can echo David's words.

In giving due praise to God, and in an expression of his desire to serve the Lord, David offers this statement:

"LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house, And the place where your glory dwells." (Psa 26:8).

Of all people in scripture, David was the best placed to sincerely praise God in this way. David did love the house of God... or would have, had it been built! What a strange statement for David to make. How could David love the house of God if it wasn't there yet? How could David say he loved the place where God's glory dwelt, when that glory did not appear until the time of his son? (26:8, 2Kin 8:10-11).

In Psalm 27 David continues his theme. Here we see in v4-5 that he sought to dwell in the house of God. In v5 he declares that God will hide him in that place, and save him from trouble. But since when has God's temple been a refuge? How could David take refuge in an unbuilt house! What's more, in 26:8 we read that he had been there, and he had loved inhabiting it.

In 1Chron 17:1-8 we have the request of David that he might build God a house. The reply of God was "haven't I always been with you anyway?" The comment on this in Acts 7:46-49 is "the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands". We, like David, can forget that God's concern is not with material things, but with spiritual. God's dwelling place is in heavenly places, and not in earthly. So how had David dwelt with God? Every time David was in trouble, he put his trust in God. His faith and hope was in God. In God. David's salvation was in God, and none other. His trust was in heavenly things and not earthly. David lived in faith. He lived in faith in God. Notice the underlining?

A reading of 27:1-6 shows us that whenever David was in trouble, he fled for refuge in God. It is this that is defined as dwelling in the house of the LORD. God himself is a refuge. Our trust in Him is a concrete and solid thing. The bunker or tower that is God is more real, more impenetrable, more un-assailable than anything earthly. When one trusts in the Lord that safety is so sure and so complete that one is actually in a heavenly tower, house, or habitation. V5 "He shall hide me in His pavilion". It is by faith that one enters into that house.

26:5What are our feelings about those who work evil? Do we watch what they do on the Television? Do we associate with them in their activities thinking that we will not be affected by their actions because we are ‘strong’?

27:2-4David had been encompassed by his enemies. We might be forgiven for expecting him to desire to be delivered from them. But no, David saw deliverance as being in God’s temple. The reason? God’s enemies do not go there so one is safe in His presence!

28:1David’s concern is that his fellowship with his God might be destroyed – that he might not hear God’s word. Whilst our Father does not speak directly to us He does speak to us through His word. Failing to ‘listen’ to Him by reading will have as it’s consequence that we will not hear him and lose contact with Him completely.

26:1 The word integrity is misunderstood and misused in the modern world. People today use it to suggest that the one who has it is a good person. But, the standard of good is a worldly one which falls far short of the divine standard. Actually, integrity means honesty. If one is honest in keeping stated principles, ideals, or goals, then that person has integrity. But, this can have negative applications also. For example, if one believes that robbing people is OK. (amoral) and participates fully in that activity, then he is honest to his beliefs - he has integrity. In v.1, the word integrity comes from the Hebrew tomwhich carries an understanding of completeness while denoting a sense of innocence. This shows that David fully worshipped Yahweh while maintaining avoidance of wrongdoing.

26:6 In saying that he has washed his hands in innocency David is saying that he is not guilty of the blood of any dead man, appealing to the language of Deut 21:6 where the elders of the city declare their position about a dead body found near to their city.

26:2 reins literally means kidneys. The word survives in modern English in the word renal - the renal unit is where you would go for treatment to your kidneys. The ESV translates the second part of the verse as test my heart and mind, conveying the idea of trying the whole being.

26:3 David walked in truth, v12 he stood in an even, (i.e. a safe place - contrast with v1) and he declined to sit with the vain (v4), or the wicked (v5). Compare with a similar progression found in Psa 1

26:6 I will wash my hands - compare with the actions of Pilate in Matt 27:24

28:3 “draw me not away” shows David shared the sentiments in the Lord’s Prayer – Matt 6:13. Is this our prayer? Or do we think that we have the strength to resist temptations and so do not ask God to direct our steps away from temptation?

Psa 26:4-5 - "sat...sit" ( <3427> Heb word "yashab" means to dwell, remain, sit, abide, to marry) - yet David had Ahithophel and Jesus had Judas; Jesus met sinners but as the bridegroom he wasn't/isn't married to them (Psa 1:1).

Psa 26:6-8 - The setting could be David after having brought the ark into Jerusalem; it describes an innocent priest on duty at the altar and temple - true especially of the one David forshaddowed who became priest, altar and sacrifice.

As Sharon and I were discussing an issue of faith that we have been challenged by, I made the statement that it is easy to trust God, it's just a little more difficult to put what we need to do into action. Sharon quickly corrected me, saying that if we can't put it into action, then we don't trust as we should. She is right, and our personal struggle between faith and action has now moved into action.

As we learn about God, read the Bible and hear the examples of faith such as Noah, Abraham, David, and so on, it is quite easy to gain a knowledge of what it means to trust in God. Without that knowledge being tested we might think that we trust in him. But when the testing comes, when we need to act outside of our own logic and experience, stepping out in faith and truly trusting God with all our hearts as well as with our minds, can be a huge challenge.

Trusting God from the heart as well as the mind is what David did. He said, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped." (Psa 28:7) So let's grow our faith and trust in God from our heads to our hearts, so that we can put our trust in him into action.

28:7 Notice the use of the word “heart” a response to God is not merely an intellectual exercise. It has to both affect our emotions and stir an emotional response to the things we have learned of Him.

We all have enemies, whether we realize it or not. We all have troubles, afflictions, sufferings and hardships (cf. Job 14:1), and so we all need strength, endurance and patience (cf. Rom 15:4). This Psalm shows us how to handle our difficulties, and instead of talking about all the things that go wrong in our lives, we need to focus on the fact that the LORD is there to help us. This is experiencing our faith, and the level to which we do this determines the level of our faith.

The Psalmist wrote he desired “one thing,” and the apostle Paul also said something very similar to this. He wrote in Phil 3:13, “… this one thing I do…” Paul shows us in Rom Rom 5:1-5 how our problems shrink as our faith deepens. During times of trouble, we need to focus on one thing – God. What is the first thing most people tend to do when things go wrong? For one thing, they start missing Sunday Meetings, or they stop praying altogether because they are just too overwhelmed (cf. James 5:13; Phil 4:6,7). Yet, we are told to do the very opposite. The Psalmist sought refuge from his problems in God’s tabernacle, the LORD’s house, where he desired to dwell (Psa 27:4). Too often we inquire without seeking, dwelling, or beholding. We want answers from God, but not God, Himself.

Without question, trouble moves us; the real question is, which way will we move? If we let our problems come between God and us, we will move further from God. If we put our problems behind us, we will move closer to God. We can use our problems to push us closer to God, or we can use our problems to drive us further away from Him. It all depends where we put our problems - ahead or behind.

We can always tell from peoples’ body language when they are feeling really down; their head is drooped, but the Psalmist tells us that knowing whom we serve and approaching God in heartfelt and passionate prayer will cause our heads to be lifted up and to rejoice in singing praises to the Father. We need to look up to be lifted up. This is not easy when we hurt the most, and it is usually at times like this when we least want to sing songs of praise to God, that we need to do it the most. Yes, our Father will with His loving hands lift up our heads, and when He does, we begin to look at our problems and hurts from an entirely different perspective.

God invites us to seek Him out in times of trouble and submit to Him, and when we do, it is our way of responding to God. Isn’t it amazing that sometimes we go to God as a last resort, when all else fails! We all get these moments of discouragement, I know I have, I feel disappointed, prayer feels hopeless, and my faith is like a flickering flame. In one way, this is a good thing because it causes us to reflect on the level of our faith. It is at that point we may turn to look inwardly and wonder “what is wrong with me?”

This Psalm reveals that genuine faith is actually the believer’s response to the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God who comes near to us in times of our problems. We sometimes have this attitude that if we muster up enough faith, God will intervene and act on our behalf, but this Psalm teaches otherwise. Someone once said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” You see, sometimes we don’t get help straight away, and do we hate to wait! It is the hardest thing to do when we are hurting now and it seems that God simply is not there. How wrong we are because it is precisely during these times that God is and says, “Seek ye my face.”

The Psalmist tells us to be courageous, God will strengthen us, but we must also be patient - wait onthe LORD. The One who is the strength of our life while in the land of life, also wants to be the strength of our heart. We trust in people who let us down, sometimes we trust in our own abilities, and we get hurt. The Psalmist’s advice is not to faint, or grow weary (cf. Gal 6:9), to seek out God who is our refuge and our strength (Psa 46:1), believe in what God has said and seek Him, rather than others and not try to fight our battles alone.

27:4 This Psalm, it seems, relates to David bringing the ark to Zion. We know that his desire was to bring the ark to the place of God’s choosing – Psa 132:2-5 – but it was a lot more than just wanting to the place the ark in Zion. He wanted to be personally involved in the matter, having fellowship with God. In short bringing the ark to Zion was not just a doctrine to be accepted, it was something that affected his whole life. He wanted fellowship with God.

27:1 David’s confidence, against the difficulties he faced in life is amazing. Or maybe his confidence is because he has experienced so many difficulties and been delivered from them. Do we see the difficulties we experience in life and our continued survival as an evidence of God’s care for us?

Psa 27:5 Pavillion- It is always interesting to consider the English dictionary for the meaning of these words and a pavillion is used for shelter, refreshment (normally a tent or temporary structure) and in cricket a place to change.

The Hebrew trelates to booth. So Yahweh will shelter us in his Booth. The feast of booths meant the Israelite was to dwell in a booth for 7 days. Lev 23:43

It was a reminder of the temporary cover provided a temporary covering for Israel in the wilderness when they seperated from Egypt reminding them of a future time when a permant dwelling would be provided.

But scripture teaches us that dwelling in booths could also be a spiritual resting place. Gen 33:17

Here Jacob builds pavillions for his cattle, but it is the place where he built that is interesting, Shalem in Shechem. Shechem means peace or rest, but it wasnt just a physical place that Jacob sought it was spiritual rest or state of mind.

Jacob sought peace of mind in a place of peace by building booths.

Josh 24:1-5 we see Joshua reminding Israel; of the promises Yahweh had made to Abraham in v3, Jacob in v4, and Moses in v5. Joshua then was looking back at those promises at Shechem.

So Shechem then was good place to build pavillions it would remind Joshua, Jacob, Moses of the promises Yahweh made to them, it would bring them peace of mind.

David in bulding pavillions also sought peace of mind (shechem).

The lord Jesus Christ when he sought peace of mind is recorded also, John 4:3 (wearied means more than tired it is related to grief)to remember the booths that could provide shelter and the promises would have been a comfort to him, however the Lord Jesus Christ was kingdom minded he looked forward and Zech 14:16 is that furture promise and place of shelter for us, because for now we can only get temporary shelter until the kingdom comes with its permanent shelter and I am sure that is what David looked forward to also!

"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

We live in difficult times today. There is much fear and concern not only about the future, there is fear of the here and now. Yet the beautiful thing is that God is eternal, and the principles of His Word do not change - Even in a changing society. And we can take great comfort in this.

In the 27th Psalm, David presents several principles that enabled him to handle difficult times in his life. These principles will help us deal with whatever may come our way as well. With God we have an anchor that holds us steadfast in the midst of the storms of life. Our confidence is in God and that He will accomplish what we has promised. May the Lord guide our footsteps to His kingdom.

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart ... and he shall direct thy paths."

"This is life eternal: to KNOW Thee" ... "Thou shalt seek Me, and shalt find Me when thou shalt seek for Me with ALL thine heart."

Let us never think we have totally found God. There is always further to go, closer to get, deeper to understand -- and this is the whole joy and beauty and meaning of life. Our life has no value or purpose if we are not continually getting closer to God.

The time will come, says Paul, when "We (the true faithful) shall know as we are known."

But it will NEVER come for US if we are not continually striving with all our might in that direction NOW. God is not going to force eternal glory upon the lazy and worldly and unspiritual and uninterested.

If we are interested in worldly things, we shall perish with them. Eternity is only for those few who realize the infinite value of the Pearl, and who eagerly "sell ALL they have" to purchase it.

Where would you like to be right now? A tropical island holiday sounds quite good to me at the moment, having just come though a long winter. Maybe you enjoy going to the gym, to the cinema, shopping, by a lake, in the forest, at the beach or even at work. I'm sure you can picture a place you would love to be.

David had a favorite place too. This is what he said: "I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells." (Psa 26:8).

Was God's house on your list of favorite places? Do you love going in with praise, hearing the word of God read out loud, being inspired or taught by the messages that are given? Do you long for that time of intimate fellowship with God?

If we are honest, many of us would still rather choose somewhere else.

What we need to do is to grow our desire to be with God in his house. Get to know him. Grow to love him and develop a longing desire to be be with him.

What has God been doing in your life this week? It would be really encouraging if more of us talked about what God has been doing in our lives. If you told me how God has been working, it may help to build up my faith as well. And then, if we started to talk about it, imagine the excitement we could grow!

David said, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." (Psa 28:7). "My heart leaps for joy," David said.

It all starts with recognizing what God has done in our lives. When we begin to see His work in our lives as something extra-ordinary, it will make our hearts leap for joy too! It does for me!

So let's look for the ways God has answered prayer, has done miracles, or has moved circumstances, and rejoice in them, giving thanks to God for all he has done.

28:7-8 Notice twice the Psalmist speaks of God being his strength and this will be, ultimately, his salvation. If only we could have such confidence then we would be less likely to rely on our own strength.

John the Baptist had said of Jesus 'He must increase, but I must decrease.' [John 3:30]. The death of John is only referred to here incidentally to explain Herod's perplexity. Thus John passed off the scene with no mention - demonstrating the ascendancy of Jesus against the background of John's decrease.

:3-12 The account of the death of John recounts events which had happened earlier. They are included here to provide an explanation of Herod's unease about Jesus. As such we see that Herod was both superstitious and had a high regard for John.

Matthew 14:3 - What a record of contrasts this is. Herod was an immoral man, an adulterer - John was upright before God, and a eunuch. Herod locked John in prison - John, by his great message, would have set Herod free of his imprisoning lusts.

Matthew 14:8 - It was the custom to release one from prison on occasions such as this - not behead one!

Matthew 14:9 - "And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her" - Herod was prepared to honour a boastful oath delivered in an inebriated state, but he could not honour his marriage oath, undertaken in sobriety and before God.

Matthew 14:21 -"And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children" - This information here, would allow us to calculate that our Lord fed upwards of 20,000 mouths on this day. Why only five thousand men numbered then? This whole incident was a feast of Grace, and perhaps we are being told here that this bountiful meal, which took place exactly twelve months before His crucifixion, prefigured the work that would ultimately be accomplished in a vast multitude - the Family of Grace named later by Paul as the Commonwealth of Israel - Ephesians 2:12. This record of feeding 5,000 families, is one of the few miracles recorded in detail by all four Gospel writers.

CONTRASTS

BETWEEN

HEROD'S BIRTHDAY PARTY

&

CHRIST FEEDING 5,000 FAMILIES

Unlawful Wife/Adulterer

Bride in Prospect/Eunuch

Palace of Macchaerus

Green Mountain Slope

Shore of Dead Sea

Shore of Galilee Sea

Feast of Hatred

Feast of Love

Immoral Party

Frugal Meal

Rich & Influential

Poor & Insignificant

Herod “The Fox” - Adulterer

Christ “The Harmless” - Pure

Egotistical Offer

Divine Principles

Drunken Stupor

Sweet Fellowship

Feast of Death

Feast of Life

Head on a Plate at the end of party

12 Baskets of Bread left at end of meal

If any wish to pursue a fuller study of this greatest of incidents recorded of our Lord, I am happy to e-mail a copy of a short study entitled "He Gave Them Bread From Heaven To Eat." Send your request to the link below or click here to read it on line.

Matt 14:28-31 It is certainly comforting to know that if we cry out to the LORD to be saved as Peter did here, to know that Christ is there with His hands stretched out to catch us as we fall.

Matt 14:36 This is the second time in the past few days that we have read of the sick reaching out to touch the hem of Christ's garment to be made perfectly whole.( The woman with the issue of blood) Matt 9:20-22

V.6 The name of the Herodias' daughter is not mentioned but Josephus suggests it is Salome. She and her famous Dance of the Seven Veils have become popularized in the art world.

V.36 Touching the hem of Christ's garment was sufficient for healing. The example of the woman diseased with an issue of blood also comes readily to mind (Matt 9:20-22). The Greek wordtranslated hem is kraspedon and implies a border or fringe.

Malachi also makes reference to this when he talks of Christ:But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (Mal 4:2).

The word, wings in Hebrew is kanaph which means extremity or edge, particularly of a garment, and thus a hem. Kraspedon is equivalent to kanaph.

Israelites had to wear blue on the borders (kanaph) of their garments (Num 15:38). This colour represents heaven, the throne of Yahweh, from whence emanates all commandment and power. Thus, the heavenly power to heal is embodied in the blue border of the garment.

v.15-20 Here we have an incident that not only showed the wonder of God's power and Jesus' ability to wield it, but also set up a deputation of the Scribes and Pharisees in the next chapter (see tomorrow's comment). On many occasions Jesus went out of his way to antagonise the Pharisees and show them up for what they were.

V.31 We have a strong exhortation for each one of us in this verse. Not only do we have the comfort of knowing that our master is always there to assist us when we ask, but also we can see the responsibility we all have to help our Brethren and Sisters when they cry out for help. We have to ask ourselves, are we always there, and are we always willing to help, regardless of what the need may be?

14:13-14On hearing of the death of John Jesus must have considered what fate awaited him. This might explain why he sought solitude. However, when he saw the multitudes, he ministered to them. How often do we ignore our brethren and sister's needs when we are in distress? Jesus didn't.

V.31 Strictly speaking it would not have been necessary for Jesus to reach out his hand to rescue Peter. A simple command would have been enough. Reaching out to assist Peter would have proven more reassuring. Peter would also felt his master's love also.

a) First of all, a little point for Sunday School teachers. (See Matt 14:15-21). Think of this sum:
5 thousand people
5 loaves
2 fishes. Add these together
= 12 baskets of food left over! This makes an easy way for children (and adults) to remember the parable.
b) Even Jesus Christ needed quiet, personal time. At the death of John the Baptist, He wanted to be quiet, (Matt 14:12-14). He knew that this spoke of His Own death. But when He saw the great multitude of people He put His own feelings behind Him, and had compassion on the people, and healed them. He really was a lovely Man.

22-27 In these few verses we once again have a lesson which can be applied to our lives. The disciples appear to be left on there own, Christ has left them (physically) and gone up the mountain to pray. During this time a storm came up, and the twelve were afraid. Christ has also left each one of us in a physical sense, we all have faced a storm of one sort, where we were afraid. We must always remember, like Peter, if we cry out, our pleas will not go unheard. What a wonderful blessing!

14 There is a powerful contrast between the end of Matthew 13 and the beginning of this chapter. Matthew Matt 13:56-58 shows Jesus’ countrymen in unbelief. So he did not ‘many mighty works’. Here we see, by contrast, Herod the Idumean, looking at the work of Jesus, from a distance, and concluding that something special was happening!

There were three different levels of faith noted in the account of the walking on the water episode.

Jesus walked on water, not just a few steps, but a considerable distance from the land out to where the disciples had rowed the boat. His was an act of pure faith. Jesus had no doubt and trusted totally in God.

Peter walked on water. He had called out to Jesus from the boat, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come to you on the water." (Matt 14:28) While Peter had his eyes on Jesus, he had all the faith he needed to walk on the water and he walked toward Jesus. "But when he saw the wind he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me." (v.30) After Jesus had saved him, he said to Peter, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" (v.31)

Eleven other disciples did not walk on water. They had faith in Jesus, but they also had faith in the boat. They were not prepared to put their faith in Jesus to the test by getting out of the boat.

Peter was reproved for his lack of faith compared to the faith of Jesus. Yet had he looked at it another way, he could have been proud that he had more faith than the other eleven

Sometimes we might show more faith than those around us, just like Peter did. But at those times let's remember that our faith should be compared to the faith of Jesus, not to the faith of the people around us. Compared to Jesus, there is always room to grow.

Everyone has needs that have to be met. Sometimes God brings people with needs far greater than anything we could ever imagine being able to deal with. Yet in some way God anticipates us being able to help out with meeting those needs somehow. We are told that "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Eph 2:10) So when opportunities, problems or people with needs come knocking at our door, they are probably one of the good works God has prepared for us to do.

The disciples of Jesus faced a huge need. It was far greater than they could ever imagine coping with. They were surrounded by perhaps ten or twenty thousand people who were all hungry. The local fast food shop was not prepared for an order that big, and neither did the disciples have the money to pay for it. But Jesus had said, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." (Matt 14:16)

Realising how unprepared they were for the challenge of such huge proportions, they apologetically said to Jesus, "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish." (v.17) This small offering was given to Jesus. With a great miracle their offering was enough to fill the need.

We may not feel we have much to offer either, but whatever we have to offer can be increased immeasurably with the blessing of God in the hands of Jesus. Let us not give up when we are faced with needs seemingly greater than what we can cope with. Instead let us give what we have and let God's blessing do the rest.

14:2 Herod’s ‘he is risen from the dead’ provides a valuable insight into the mind of this man. He had already recognised that John was a good man and had sought to hear his message, even when he was in prison. Mark 6:20 Now here is an indication that he believed in the resurrection – though his belief was rather muddled.

Two evening events took place: the feeding of the multitude (v.15); and later when Jesus went up a mountain to pray (v.23). The word for evening in Greek is opsios.There are two meanings for opsios: late afternoon and nightfall. Clearly, the first evening event was late afternoon (3 p.m. or later). The second evening event was nightfall (about 6 p.m.). The night was divided into four watches: (1)6 - 9p.m.(2)9 p.m. - Midnight(3)Midnight - 3 a.m.(4)3 - 6 a.m. And so, we see that Jesus walked on the sea sometime between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. (v.25).

There are various similarities between John the Baptist and Samson, not least of which is the way they died. Both of these men died because of scheming women. See in v6-8 how much planning must have gone in to this public show of John's death. In v3 it appears that it was Herodias who asked for John's imprisonment in the first place (Mark 6:19-20 makes this clear).

So Herod appears blameless of John's death. Or was he? His rash oath caused John's death, and his pride didn't allow him to overrule this oath "because of those who sat with him" (v9). We should be careful what we say, because we can never take back what proceeds from our mouth (James 3:5-6).

14:14 It is easy to take it for granted that Jesus was ‘moved with compassion’. However this attitude was not common amongst the religious leaders. There were not above using the sick to try to trap Jesus. Jesus’ behaviour manifested the attitude of the true shepherd which contrasted with the false shepherds that the leaders were.

14:24-25 The way in which Jesus walked on the waves shows that he was showing God’s qualities for Job describes God in this way –Job 9:8. Thus we see that Jesus’ walking on the water here was not a mere convenience in order to get to the disciples. Rather it was a manifestation that he was come doing God’s works.

14:8 The detail of the subterfuge of mother and daughter to entrap the husband – Herod – is tasteless. Such behaviour – entrapment and scheming – is not part of a rue marriage where the “two become one”. As such openness should be the watchword between wife and husband,

Matt 14:23 Away from the fevered life and contentious rancour of the city,‭ ‬alone upon the mountain top, in the calmness of the night, withdrawn from the irritating contact of prosperous wickedness, he could forget “the contradiction of sinners,” and “in prayer all night to God,” draw deep comforts from the realisation that despite the unbelief and repudiation of men, God was really his strength, his shield, his glory, his defence, the lifter up of his head. This was the exercise of his faith.He was driven upon the resources of faith as much as we.

14:13 A practical point. Jesus and the disciples were in a ship moving across the Sea of Galilee. The crowds did not know where he was going but clearly followed round the coast, keeping the small rowing boat in view. Such was their commitment to listening to Jesus.